System of electrical distribution.



H. G. THOMPSON. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APBLIGATION FILED OUT. 20, 1909.

Patented July 8,1913.

' QOitwaooeo:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON G. THOMPSON, OF GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SAFETYCAR HEATING & LIGHTING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. I

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented July 8,1913.

Application filed October 20, 1909. Serial No. 523,586.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRISON G. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Glen Ridge, county of Essex, and State of NewJersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Systems ofElectrical Distribution, of which the following is a description.

My invention pertains to that class of systems of electrical.distribution in which a dynamo driven at variable or intermittent speedsmay be used to charge a storage battery and operate lamps or othertranslating devices.

My invention has for its particular object to provide means whereby adynamo may be automatically governed to supply a given current to thestorage batteries until they have become charged to a predeterminedvoltage and then automatically decrease the charging current in apredetermined manner. Also means whereby the generator will supply aproper current to the lamps or translating devices irrespective of thecurrent which it is supplyingto the battery.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the lampsor translating devices will be operated on a substantially constantpotential circuit regardless of variations in voltage of the generatornecessary to charge the battery under varlous conditions.

In the drawing there is shown a diagrammatic representation of one formof system embodying the elements of my invention.

In the said drawing 1 indicates a dynamo or generator from which thelead 2 is carried to the coil 3 terminating in the contact piece 4 ofany suitable type of main switch as indicated at 5, from the otherterminal 6 of which is led the main 7. From,

the main 7 the wire 8 is carried to the solenoid coil 9 in connectionwith the wire 10 leading to the positive side of the storage battery 11,the negative of whichcommunr cates with the wire 12 leading to thenegat-ivemain 13 in connection with the negative brush of the generator.The solenoid coil 9 is provided with a movable core 14 pivotallyconnected with the bell crank lever 15 supported as by pivot 16 andengaging the member 17 which carries the metallic conducting yoke 18insulated therefrom as shown at 20 and balanced as by counterweight 19.The yoke 18 is drawn against a pair of carbon resistances 21 as by meansof adjustable spring 22, the said resistances 21 being in series withthe field 23 of the generator as by means of wires 24, 25 and 26. Fromthe wire 10 the wire 27 is carried to the contact lever 28 adapted whenin the position shown in the drawing to cause connection between thewire 27 and the wires 31, 30 and 29 which are carried to the positivelamp mains 32, 33 and 34 respectively which are connected with thepositive terminals of the groups of lamps or translating devicesindicated by 35, 36 and 37 respectively. Each of these groups oftranslating devices has its negative terminal connected with itsrespective translating main 38, 39 and 40 through any type of suitableswitch as indicated at 41, the said negative mains being carried to themain 13. The positive translating circuit mains 32, 33 and 34 are alsoconnected with the positive main 7 through resistances 42, 43 and 44 asby means of wires 45, 46 and 47. Wire 48 is carried from'the wire 24 toone end of solenoid coil 49, the other end of which is carried to themain 13 as by means of the wire 50. The solenoid coil 49 is providedwith the core 51 which when energized will tend to lift the armature 52against the action of adjustable spring 53 so as to cause connectionbetween said armature and the wires 54 and 55, the armature 52 beingconnected with the wire 48 as by wire 56. The Wire 55 is carried to thecoil 57, the other end of which is connected with the main 13 throughany suitable type of adjustable resistance 58. The coil 57 is wound insuch manner that when energized it will assist the coil 9 in tending topull the core 14 in a downward direction as will hereinafter more fullyappear. The wire 54 is carried to a solenoid coil 59 the other end ofwhich is carried to the main 13 as by means of wire 60 and excitation ofthe coil 59 tends to draw down the armature 61 against the action ofadjustable spring 62 in such manner as to cause the same to connect thewires 64, 65 and 66 with the main 7 through wire 63. The wires 64, 65and 66 are connected to an intermediate point in the resistances 42, 43and 44 respectively for a purpose 'which will hereinafter be more fullyexplained.

67 represents the closing coil of the switch 5 connected across thegenerator as by wires 68 and 69.

The practical operation of my improved. system of electricaldistribution is substantially as follows starting with the generator atrest and the various instrumentalities in their respective positionsshown in the drawing: If a group of lamps or translating devices, forexample, the group indicated at 1 as this circuit is in multiple withthe above mentioned circuit from the wire 10 to the main 32. Thecurrent, however, passing through the circuit containing the coil 9 andresistance 42 will be small compared with that in the other circuit tothe lamps or translating devices inasmuch as the resistance of coil 9and the resistance device 42 are considerable compared with that of theshunt' circuit around them. If the group of lamps or translating devices36 or the group 37 be thrown on current will flow through thetranslating devices in the same manner as described with reference tothe group 35, the resistance devices and connections thereofbeingrepresented as identical with those of the group 35. If thegenerator be started its field will build up ina well-known manner andcurrent will also flow in the coil 67 and tend to close the switch 5which is so adjusted that the same will close when the voltage upon thegener-.

ator is thatnecessary to give the batteries their normal chargingcurrent under normal working conditions. This, of course, isconsiderably above the discharging voltage of the batteries or thatvoltage at which they have been supplying the lamps as above outlined.When the charging voltage is reached the closing of the switch 5 causesthe lever 28 to be raised and connection with the wires 29, 30 and 31 tobe bro-ken at the same time that contact is made between the members 4and 6 and therefore, the current flowing to the lamps or translating de-Vices will all pass through the main 7, wires 45, 46 and 47 andresistances 42, 43 and 44. .These resistances are so adjusted as tocompensate for the increase in voltage necessary to give the battery itscharging current as above mentioned and, therefore, the voltageimpressed upon the various groups oflamps is substantially the normaldischarge, voltage of the battery as before. Current will also flow fromthe main 7 through wire 8, coil 9 and wire 10 to the battery 11 andreturn to the -ment of the spring 22 current will be supplied to thebattery at a given charging rate for if the current in the 0011 91ncrease above the desired maximum, the sald coil will cause the core 14to be drawn downwardand increase resistance 21 so as to cut down thegenerator voltage until the normal desired current .is flowing in thecoil 9 to the battery and thus hold the voltage constant throughoutfurther rises in speed.

Current will also flow from the wire 24 through wire 48, coil 49 andwire 50 to the main 13 and if the spring 53 be properly set the core 51may be'caused to raise its armature 52 when the voltage across thegenerator is equal to that of the storage battery when charged to adesired degree. Therefore, if the battery be charged as above until.itsvoltage has risen to that of the charged voltage the armature 52 willthen be automatically lifted and current will flow from wire 48 throughwire 56 and armature 52, wire 55, coil 57 and resistance 58 to the main13. This current flowing in the coil 57, which may be adjusted'by properadjustment of the resistance 58, will assist the coil- 9 in pulling downthe core 14 and increasing the resistance in the field in such mannorthat the current now flowing in the coil 9 may be as little as desiredand still not suifer any appreciable increase due to increases in speedof the generator, or the resistance 58 may be so adjusted that the coil.57 will cause the resistance 21 to be sufliciently increased that thevoltage of the generator will fall below that of the-battery; when themainv switch 5 will open and dis-. connect the generator from thesystem. Cutting down the voltage of the generator as above described inorder to cut down the charging current would ordinarily cause the, lampvoltage to fall therewith but the raising of the armature 52 so as toenergize the coil 57 also. allows current to flow from the said armaturethrough wire 54, magnet 59 and wire 60 to the main 13. This current.draws, down the armature 61 against the action of spring .62 andconnects wires 64, .65 and 66 with the main 7 through wire 63 in suchmanner as to short-circuit such portion as desired of the resistances42, 43 and 44 and thus compensate for this drop which. would otherwisetake place and thus hold the voltage uponthe lamps or translationcircuits practically constant or if the adjustment of the resistance 58be such that the coil 57 will cause the generator to be cut out entirelythe opening of the switch. 5 will allow the lever 28 to cause connectionbetween wire 27 and wires 29, 30 and 31 so as to short-circuit theentire resistances 42,

43 and 44 as above described when the lamps:

were supplied by the battery alone. If the generator be supplyingcurrent to the line and shall slow down until its voltage decrease thecurrent in coil 9 will lessen and the spring 22 will tend to decreasethe resistance in circuit with the field and tend to hold the generatorvoltage practically constant and if the speed decrease still furtheruntil the voltage is reached at which the switch 5 is set to open, thesame will open and cut out the generator and simultaneouslyshort-circuit the resistances 42, 43 and 44 by connecting the wires 29,30 and 31 with the lever 28 in connection with the wire 27. Stopping ofthe generator will cause the armature 52 to drop and discontinue thecurrent through coil 57 and through coil 59, allowing spring 62 to raisethe armature 61 and disconnect wires 64, 65 and 66 and all parts of thesystem will now be performing the same functions as outlined at thebeginning of the above description of their operation.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have produced a system ofelectrical distribution in which the generator may be automaticallygoverned to supply a given charging current to a storage battery untilthe same shall have become charged to a desired voltage and thenautomatically reduce the charge to any desired amount.

, Also that I have produced a system in which the current supplied tothe storage battery is independent of that supplied to the lamps by thegenerator and in which the voltage upon the lamps or translation devicesis held practically constant regardless of the voltage necessarilycarried across the generator to give the storage battery the variouscharging currents that may be desired, particularly in a system in whichthe lamps or translating devices are divided into groups or circuitsadapted to be thrown off or on as units and not have the load of anyindividual circuit changed to any appreciable extent, usual conditionsto be met in the art of electrical car lighting.

1 do not wish in any way to limit myself to any of the constructions orexact details illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a merediagram intended to indicate one type of system of electricaldistribution embodying my invention and it is obvious that widedeparture may be made both in detail of construction and mode of operation without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I consider novel and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims;

1. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a enerator, astorage battery and a work circuit, of a regulator for the generatorresponsive only to the action of current flowing into the storagebattery and means whereby the voltage across the battery alters theefiect of said, current to the battery upon said regulator.

2. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a generator, anautomatic switch controlling the main circuit thereof, a storagebattery, a. regulator for the generator having a coil in a seriescircuit with said storage battery and adapted to be opened only at theswitch contacts and a plurality of translation circuits havingpredetermined resistances in series therewith, combined with a meanswhereby the opening of said automatic switch causes a shunt circuit tobe established around said resistances and said series coil.

3. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a generator, anautomatic switch controlling the main circuit thereof, a storagebattery, a regulator for the generator having a coil in a series circuitwith said storage battery and adapted to be opened only at the switchcontacts and a plurality of translation circuits having pre determinedresistances in series therewith, combined with a common means wherebythe opening of said automatic switch causes a shunt circuit to beestablished around said resistances and around the coil of the regulatorin series withthe battery.

4. A system of electrical distribution comprehendin a generator, anautomatic switch control ing the main circuit thereof, a storagebattery, a regulatorforthe gen erator having a coil in a series circuitwith said storage battery and adapted to be opened only at the switchcontacts and a plurality of translation circuits having predeterminedresistances in series therewith, combined with common means whereby theopening of said automatic switch causes shunt circuits to be establishedaround said resistances and said coil and said shunt circuits to beautomatically broken by the closing of said switch. I

5. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a generator, anautomatic switch controlling the main circuit thereof, a storagebattery, a regulator for the generator having a coil in a series circuitwith said storage battery and adapted to be opened only at the switchcontacts and a plurality of translation circuits having predeterminedresistances in series therewith,

combined with common means whereby the opening of said automatlc switchcauses a shunt circuit to be established around said resistances andaround the coil of the regulator in series with the generator and saidshunt circuits to be automatically broken by the closing of said switch.7

6. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a generator, aregulator therefor, a storage battery and a work circuit, a plurality oftranslation circuits across the Work circuit through resistances,combined with means whereby said regulator decreases the current to thestorage battery when a certain charging voltage is reached and automaticmeans for decreasing said resistances when the generator voltage is sodecreased and means whereby further decrease in generator voltage causesafurther decrease of resistance in said translation circuits.

7. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a generator, aregulator therefor, a storage battery and a work circuit, a plurality oftranslation circuits across the Work circuit through resistances,combined with means whereby said regulator decreases the current to thestorage battery when a certain charging voltageis reached and automaticmeans for decreasing said resistances when the generator voltage is sodecreased and means whereby decrease in generator volt-age causes afurther decrease of resistance in said translation circuits and shortcircuits the operating means'of said regulator.

8. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a generator, astorage battery and a plurality of translating devices operativelyconnected therewith through resistances, a regulator for the generatorhaving a coil in series with the storage battery, a coil cooperatingtherewith in shunt to the storage battery and means for manipulating thecircuit of said coil and varying the said resistances.

9. A system of electrical distribution comprehending a'generator, astorage battery and a plurality of translating devices operativelyconnected therewith through resistances, a regulator for the generatorhaving a coil in series with the storage battery, a coil cooperatingtherewith in shunt to the storage battery, means for manipulating thecircuit of said coil and varying the said resistance and means wherebyfall in generator voltage below that of the battery further affects thesaid resistances.

HARRISON G. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. CLARK, E. E. ALLBEE.

